Top 5 Spyderco Knives of 2018

Spyderco makes the best production folding knives on the market. They are relatively affordable compared to custom knives and have superb fit/finish and utility. The following are my favorite Spyderco knives under 3.5″. This makes each of these knives compliant with some of the stricter zip codes in the United States (like Seattle).

The Dragonfly comes in well under the 3.5″ mark with a Blade Length of 2.25″ – yet the highly effective choil makes the knife handle like a much bigger knife. This knife is perfect for just about any everyday task and weighing in at only 1.2 oz it disappears in your pocket. To top it off the H1 steel and yellow FRN handle make it the perfect knife for carrying whenever you around the ocean.

The only downside of this knife is that it is a little under my desired length – while it is suitable for everyday tasks it is not well equipped as a defensive carry knife.

The Delica 4 is an iconic Spyderco that anyone who likes knives should own. There is nothing particularly flashy or different about this knife – it is just solid in every way. It has a great blade shape, a robust back lock, and a medium size form factor that disappears in the pocket.

The Spyderco Salt 2 is in many ways a combination of the first two knives on the list. It combines the form factor of the Delica 4 with the same H1 steel found in the Dragonfly 2. The result is a great blade for near-ocean carry – coupling an iconic design with a groundbreaking steel.

Once again – the primary downside is that it doesn’t have a choil (one of my favorite aspects of a folding knife).

The Spyderco Native 5 takes things up a notch with an incredibly ergonomic form that makes everyday cutting tasks a joy. The huge choil area makes the knife handle exceptionally well. All around an amazing knife.

The Paramilitary 2 is the best knife on the market if you are looking for a reasonably priced knife that is perfect for both everyday tasks as well as defensive purposes. It sports the amazing CPM S30V steel and a compression lock that results in an incredible action and lock up. If I could only have one knife for the rest of my life this would be it.